1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus and an image processing system and more specifically, to an image processing apparatus and an image processing system that perform an output operation of outputting document data for which the number of output times is limited.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication NO. 2004-230603 that the total number of times of printing that an image data is allowed to be printed without designation of the user or the number of times that the printing can be performed by each user with respect to the image data to be printed is stored in the nonvolatile memory of the image forming apparatus.
Further, it is disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication NO. H06-332642 that plural image forming apparatuses, including a host apparatus by which operations are input and other print servers, are connected with each other via a network to form a network system so that images are output from those apparatuses.
However, when using the network system as disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication NO. H06-332642, there is a problem that the number of times of printing the image data printed by the print server cannot be determined by the host apparatus if the communication with the host apparatus and the print server is disconnected while the image data is being output by the print server. When such a case occurs, the total remaining number of times of printing that the image data is allowed to be printed cannot be properly controlled.